LG HB954PB review

LG's HB954PB Blu-ray in a box system really is a solid, all-in-one achievement across the board Tested at £600.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

With quite so many strings to its bow, we’re impressed at the LG’s ability across the board – a solid all-in-one achievement

Pros

  • +

    Bags of functions including integrated iPod dock

  • +

    two HDMI inputs

  • +

    good looks

  • +

    plenty of power and weight

  • +

    good pictures

Cons

  • -

    Bass needs to be tighter

  • -

    front and back speakers a little disparate

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Do you ever come up against a brick wall when explaining your love for AV?

Not everyone grasps the joy to be had from a sweet-sounding home entertainment set-up. This LG system, however, can be sold in an instant to the average person on the street.

If you're looking to turn your front room into a multi-media AV portal, the LG HB954PB can do that in one fell swoop. The main unit combines the functionality of a Blu-ray player, AV amp and iPod dock.

It can deliver 1080p/24fps video and decode HD audio, and upscale DVDs to 1080p. You'll find two HDMI inputs and one output to allow you to connect other sources to take advantage of the LG's amplification and speakers.

The iPod dock is joined by an AM/FM receiver on the exhaustive list of functions.

There's an Ethernet connection too, flagged up by the YouTube button on the home menu that gives you direct access to streaming content using your home network. You can also access BD-Live content once connected.

Big box packed full of features
The main unit itself is fairly chunky but considering the functionality inside we can allow it some slack.

The speakers are more lithe, with two champagne-flute-style floorstanders at the front, a small, dedicated centre channel, two compact rear satellite speakers and a block of a sub.

Once set up, we fire-up Vegas romp, 21, and enjoy the Dolby Digital True HD soundtrack.

The subwoofer is quite pedestrian, but there's plenty of weight and power when required, and the system has no problem filling the room with fairly detailed sound, though cohesion between the floorstanders and rears could be better.

Moving images look good, too, with only a slight smear to motion during the frantic X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The upscaled DVD of No Country For Old Men is stable, too.

There's plenty to like here, not least in terms of thethe functionality, which, with two HDMI inputs, is unrivalled.

There are tiny holes to be found in the level of performance but this system remains a tempting proposition.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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